Indian Navy to induct second squadron of MH-60R ‘Romeo’ helicopters: Know their key combat, surveillance features

The advanced weapons, sensors and avionics suite make the helicopter a versatile and capable asset for the Navy, offering enhanced capabilities to address conventional as well as asymmetric threats, they said

The Indian Navy will commission its second MH-60R multi-role helicopter squadron, INAS 335 (Ospreys), on December 17 at INS Hansa in Goa, significantly strengthening its aviation and maritime combat capabilities. Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi will be present at the commissioning ceremony, officials said on Sunday.

Equipped with advanced weapons, state-of-the-art sensors and a modern avionics suite, the MH-60R helicopters are designed to tackle both conventional and asymmetric threats. The aircraft enhance the Navy’s ability to carry out anti-submarine warfare, surface attack missions, surveillance and search-and-rescue operations, making them one of the most versatile platforms in the fleet.

The helicopters have already been fully integrated with fleet operations and have demonstrated their operational value on several occasions. The induction of INAS 335 marks a key milestone in the Navy’s ongoing modernisation drive and provides a major boost to its integral aviation capabilities.

The MH 60R is also capable of firing torpedoes, missiles and advanced precision kill weapon system rockets. The self-protection suite on the helicopter comprises Chaff and Infrared Flares, which can be deployed automatically upon detection of a threat.

The induction of MH-60R ‘Romeo’ helicopters has significantly strengthened the Indian Navy’s capability to counter underwater and surface threats, particularly amid rising submarine activity in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Inducted into service from 2021 onwards, the MH-60R serves as a frontline anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare platform and forms the backbone of naval aviation for several Western navies. Designed to operate from destroyers, frigates and aircraft carriers, the helicopter extends the Navy’s surveillance and strike reach deep into the maritime battlespace.

For India, the platform is a critical force multiplier. The MH-60R is equipped with an advanced anti-submarine warfare suite that includes state-of-the-art dipping sonar capable of detecting and tracking both deep-water and shallow-water submarine threats. The helicopter also carries sonobuoy launch systems that enable wide-area search, detection and continuous tracking of hostile submarines.

Complementing its ASW role, the MH-60R features a multi-mode maritime radar that enhances surface surveillance and target acquisition. The platform is armed with Mk-54 lightweight torpedoes, specifically designed to neutralise fast, deep-diving submarines, giving the Navy a potent offensive capability at sea.

The helicopters are set to be deployed across key Indian Navy platforms, including aircraft carriers INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant, as well as the Navy’s newest stealth destroyers and frigates. Their induction is expected to substantially bolster the fleet’s layered defence and maritime domain awareness across critical sea lanes.